Welder control



: Octt. 29, 1935.

C. STANSBURY WELDER CONTROL Filed Oct. 13, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 29, 1935. c. STANSBURY' 2,019,021

WELDER CONTROL ?atented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES wE DEa CONTROL Carroll Stansbury, Wauwatosa; Wis., asaignor to Cutler-Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Delaware Application October 13, 1933, Serial No. 693,405

'IClalms.

This invention relates to an electric welding ystem and is particularly applicable to heavy lydraulically operated electric welders wherein he welding jaws are preferably operated by fluid iressure and wherein it is important to insure- An object of the invention is to provide for a welding system wherein the pressure between the welding jaws attains a certain value before current is admitted to the jaws.

Another object of the invention is to provide ;ystem wherein the time during which the welding current flows is accurately measured, so as to insure the proper temperature of the material to be welded.-

Another object is to provide a system wherein pressure between the welding jaws is maintained for a certain time after the welding current is interrupted to permit the cooling of the welded material and thus assure a sound weld.

Another object is to provide a system which assures that the welding current is not admitted to the weldingiaws until the latter exert a suflicient pressure upon the material to be welded.

Another object is to provide a system in which the welding cycle is initiated by the operation of a push button starting switch.

Another object is to provide a welding system equipped with a number of starting push button switches by the selection of which it is possible for the operator to select diiferent time intervals during which current is applied to the weld.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 shows a welding system wherein the welding jaws are operated by fluid pressure andwherein the welding time is controlled by means of an electron tube and electromagnetic switches and relays as will be described hereinafter.

Fig. 2 is a modification of the system shown in Fig. 1 which includes a number of starting push button switches by the use of which the time during which'the welding current is supplied may be ;selected at will.

Referring to Fig. 1, an electric welder is equipped with a stationary jaw I and a movable jaw 2 which form the terminals of a welding circuit supplied from the secondary winding 2 of a transformer 4, the primary winding 5 01 which is adapted to be connected across the lines L and L' 5 of an alternating current supply circuit. The movable jaw 2 may be moved by a piston 8 of an hydraulic cylinder 1. The cylinder is supplied with fluid under pressure through an electrically operated valve 8, said valve being controlled by m an electromagnetic relay 9. The cylinder is further equipped with a pressure responsive switch Ill having a normally closed contact III and a normally open contact lli I The control of the current supply, to the welding jaws l and 2 and of fluid pressure to the cylinder 1 is accomplished by means of a number of electromagnetic devices as follows: An-.electromagnetic relay ll having a winding ll, normally closed contacts II and normally open contacts il and I I is adapted to be connected across lines L and L. A relay l2 having a winding l2 and normally open contacts II and l2 is adapted to be connected across a direct current supply circuit having terminals L and L. A relay l3 having a winding l3; normally open contacts I2", li and iii and normally closed contacts li is adapted to be connected across the lines L and LP. An electromagnetic switch It has a winding H which is adapted to be connected across the lines 19 and L normally open main contacts N and normally closed auxiliary contacts I and I. A relay I! having a winding i5", normally closed contacts l5 and i5 and normally opencontacts I5 is adapted to be connected across the lines L and I. in series with a gaseous electronic tube It, having a cathode IS, an anode l6 and a control electrode I. The cathode may be of the heated type and the heating energy may be supplied in any well known manner. A relay ll having a winding I'l nor- 0 mally open contacts II and I1". and normally closed contacts l'l is adapted to be connected across the lines L and 13.

In addition, the controller includes the following elements: A transformer It! has a primary winding l8 connected to the lines L and L and a secondary winding Il the connections 0! which will be explained later. A time switch I! has normally closed contacts l9, normally open contacts I9 and an electric heater l9, the latter being adapted to be connected across lines L and L in series with a resistor 20. A normally open push button switch 2] is connected in circuit with the winding l3 of relay 13. An adjustable re sistor 22 is connected to shunt the coil I? under a second resistor 23 which is connected in series with the coil i2' reduces the current drawn from the, line under such short-circuiting conditions.

Associated with the electronic tube It is a resistor 24 one end of which is connected to the cathode of said tube while the other end is connected in series with a condenser 25 to the control electrode. An adjustable resistor 26 isalso connected to the control electrode, and may be connected in shunt with the condenser 25 by meansof the normally closed contact li A further resistor 21 is adapted to be connected in series with secondary winding Iii of transformer l8; and the resistance 24.

The connections of the various parts are clearly illustrated in the drawings and need' no iiu'ther description here. The apparatus functions as follows: If the lines L and L are energized, the thermostat heater winding i9 is connected across the lines L L in series with resistor 20 through the normally closed contacts li The heater therefore raises the temperature of the thermo static time switch is and the latter opens the contacts l9 and closes the contacts li thereby closing the circuit for. the coil Il and causing the relay IT to be energized. Energimtion of this relay closes the contacts l1? and IF and opens the contact i'l Closure of contacts I? maintains the relay in the closed position independent of the thermostatic switch, while opening of con-, tacts l'l disconnects the heater winding l9= from the line. The relay therefore cools down again and openscontacts la and closes contact I8 The purpose of the thermostatic switch and relay it Just described is to prevent the energization of relay IS-before the cathode of tube It has had time to heat up sufliciently to permit its functioning as required, the thermostatic relay I! being' for this purpose so proportioned as to permit the tube It sumcient time to attain normal temperature.

If it is now decided to start the welder, the operator pushes the start button 2| thereby closing a circuit from line L over contacts l9", l1, li 2| through the coil iito line I Theenergization of relay l3 establishes a maintaining circuit for thecoil I! from line'L over contacts l2 and It", so that the relay II will remain closed after the starting button 2| is released. Closure of contact 13 completes a circuit from line I) through coil l2 of relay l2, resistor 22 to line L. This closes contacts 12 and completes a circuit from line L through electromagnet {to line L.

When the magnet 9 is energized, pressure fluid is admitted to the cylinder I and the piston 6 .moves forward, thereby exerting pressure on the 1 material to be welded which hasbeen inserted between the jaws I and 2. When the welding i at which the pressure switch Jaws meet the material, the pressure in the cylinder 1 gradually increases until it reaches a value ll responds and closes the contact lil and opens contact It.

- The operationof tube I8 is fully explained in the patent by Stansbury 'et al. No. 1,892,017 and will be described here only insofar as is necessary for an understanding of the present system.

When the lines L and L are initially energized the grid li is slightly positive with respect to the cathode li so that the tube will conduct current during the positive half cycle of the alternating current. This energizes relay l5 and. the relay operm cmitacts il and I i and closes contacts II. The. closure of contacts I! completes a circuit from the transformer winding l8" through contacts I 0' and li to one plate of the condensl 25 which is thereby made highly positive wit respect to the cathode, during the positive ha cycle of 'the alternating current and a charge: accumulated on the condenser. If now the con tact I0 is opened, the highly positive plate ofth condenser 25 through its connection with th cathode it by the resistance 24 will amine lower potential and the opposite plateconnecte to the grid l6= will simultaneously have its poten tial changed to a high enough negative value t prevent further discharge of the tube during th positive half cycle and thereby cause deenergiza tion of the relay 'coil IS. The relay therefor closes contact I5 which, in turn, energizes rela; I l and this causes closure of contact l I. As con tacts ill and it! are also closed, the switch ll 1 energized and contacts l4 are closed, thereb; connecting the primary 5 oi the transformer 1 across the lines L and-U and causing the cur rent to flow in the secondary winding 2 of 881i transformer. I

The deenergization of relay l5 also closes contacts l5=, thereby establishing a discharge circuii for the condenser 25 through the adjustable:- sister 26, contacts lie, back to the other side 0: the condenser. The condenser therefore discharges until the negative potential of the grit 16 has been reduced to a value which will again permit the starting of current flow through thi tube Hi during the positive half cycle. The tims during which the condenser discharges and maintains the grid l6 sufliciently negative to preveni conduction thereof may be adjusted by adjusting resistor 20 or by adjusting the capacitor 25.

When the tube I 6 finally again becomes conducting, the relay I5 is energized thereby opening contact l6 which deenergizes the relay II and this, in turn opening the circuit to the switch coil it which becomes deenergized and opens the primary winding 5 of the transformer I, thus discontinuing current flow to the welder Jaws.

Deenergization of relay II also opens contacts ll and thus the circuit of relay coil II. The relay I! when deenergized opens the contacts l2= thus breaking the direct connection of the relay coil 12 with line L The circuit however is still maintained from line L through contacts I2 and resistor 22. When relay i2 is completely deenergized contacts l3 are closed and when the switch ll has completely opened, contacts II are also closed so that now the relay coil I2 is short-circuited through the variable resistor 22 and becomes deenergized to open contacts l2 and l2 after'the lapse of a suitable time interval determined by the constants of the short circuited supply to electromagnet l deenergizing the latter and opening the valve I of the hydraulic cylinder 1 and permitting the return of the piston 2 through any one of a number of well known mechanisms (not shown here) and the separation of the welding jaws l and 2. This last described arrangement assures that full pressure is maintained between the welding Jaws for an adJustable time after the welding current has been interrupted to assure proper solidification of the material in the weld and proper cooling before the pressure is removed. r

Fig. 2 is a modification of the system illustrated in Fig. 1, whereby it is possible for the operator to select the time during which current flows to the weld by pushing one of a multiplicity of starting buttons. only so much of the apparatus in aciaoav wn as is necessary for the understanding of :operatlon. All parts of the system not shown duplicates of those shown in Fig. l and their e'ration is as explained in connection with the scription of Fig. 1. instead of providing the single starting button of Fig. 1 as many of such buttons as desired I, 221 are provided. The relay I! is replaced relays H3, 213, having respectively normally en contacts lll 8, 3 H3 and 2"", ill", I, III and normally closed contacts ll3 and 3'. Furthermore I provide on relay ll vnorslly open contacts Ill and 2H respectively id on switch I4 normally closed contacts Ill id 2|. Associated with each push button 'itch is a discharge timing resistor I28 and 22 spectiveiy to take the place of resistor 16 in e system Fig. l. The contacts Ill and 213 mplete the circuit of the respective resistor :pending upon the push button switch which has en operated. The functioning of the modified system is obviiS. The operator selects the push button switch hich corresponds to the welding time desired,

'ter which the respective relay H3 or Ill is iergized and the welding cycle completed as 'oredescribed in connection with Fig. 1. It is 110115 that instead of only two any desired imber of push button switches and coordinated ements maybe employed.

What I claimas new and desire to secure by etters Patent is:

1. In an electric welder system, in combination, elding jaws, means to effect relative movement iereoi and to cause them to exert pressure on ie material to be welded, a power supply and role controlling means for controlling the aforeientioned means and the supply of power from aid power supply -to said jaws, the second men- .oned means comprising a normally open pilot witch operable to initiate an operating cycle, an lectron tube timer which controls the duration f power supplied to said jaws, and additional lming means associated with the first mentioned means and with said tube timer to effect separaion of said jaws following termination of supply 1 power to the latter but subject to predetermined time delay during which the jaws continue 0 exert pressure on the material being welded, aid additional timing means being adjustable in espect of the time element thereof independently f the time element of said tube timer.

2. In an electric welderv system, in combination, welding jaws, means to effect relative movement hereof and to cause them to exert pressure on the naterial to be welded, a power supply and cycle patrolling means for controlling the aforemenion'ed means and the supply of power from said )OWGI' supply to said jaws, the second mentioned neans comprising a normally open pilot switch |perable to initiate an operating cycle, an electron .ube timer which controls the duration of power :uppiied to said jaws, and electric energy storng timing means; associated with the firstmenioned-means and with said tube timer to efi'ect separation of said jaws following termination of iupply of power to the latter, but subject to preleterminedtime delay during which the jaws con- ;inue to exert pressure on the material be welded, said timing means associated with said tube timer being adjustable in respect of the time element thereof independently of the time. element of said tube timer.

3. In an electric welding system, in combination, welding jaws, means to eiIect relative movement thereof and to cause them to exert pressure on the material to be welded, an electric power supply and means controlling the aforementioned means and also controlling the supply of current from said power supply to said jaws the 5 second mentioned means comprising an electron tube timer which times the duration of current supply to said jaws and further comprising a secand timing means of an electricv energy storing type associated with the first mentioned means and with said tube timer to maintain the material being welded under pressure of said jaws for a predetermined period following termination of supply of current to said jaws and then to efiect separation of saidjaws for release of the 1s welded material. g t

4. In an electric welding system, in combination, welding jaws, means to effect relative movement thereof and to cause them'to exert pressure on the material to be welded, an electric power supply and means controlling the aforementioned means and also controlling the supply of current from said power supp to said jaws, the second mentioned means comprising an electron tube timer which times the duration u of current supply to said jaws and further comprising a second timing means of an electric energy storing type associated with the first mentioned means and with said tube timer to maintain the material being welded under pressure of so said jaws for a predetermined period following termination of supply of current to said jaws and then to effect separation of said jaws for release of the welded material, the second mentioned timing means being adjustable in respect I of the time element thereof independently of the time element of said tube timing means.

5, In an electric welding system, in combination, welding jaws, means to effect relative movement thereof and to cause them to exert pressure 0 on the material to be welded, an electric power supply and means controlling the aforemen tioned means and also controlling the supply of current from said power supply tosald jaws, the second mentioned means comprising an elecg tra'n tube timer and selective control means therefor by which the duration of current supply to said jaws is limited and subject to variation. and further comprising a second timing means of an electric energy storing type associated with the first mentioned means and with said tube timer to maintain the material being welded under pressure of said jaws for a predetermined period following termination of supply of current to said jaws and then to effect separation of said jaws for release of the welded material, the .second mentioned timing means being adjustable in respect of the time element thereof independently of the time element of said tube timer.

6. In an electric welding system, in combina- '0 tion, welding jaws, means to efiect relative move-. ment thereof and to cause themto exert pressure on the material to be welded, an electric power supply and means controlling the aforementioned means and also controlling the supply of current from said power supply to said jaws, the second mentioned means comprising an electron tube timer which initiates power supply to said jaws upon attainment of a given value of said pressure and which times the duration of current supply to said jaws and further comprising a second timing means of an electric energy storing type associated with the first mentioned means and with said tube timer to maintain the material being welded under pressure of said 15 Jaws for a predetermined period following termination oi supply of current to said Jaws and then to eflect separation of said Jaws for release of the welded material, said second mentioned timing means being adjustable in respect of the time element thereof independently of the time element of'said tube timer.

7. In an electric welding system, in combination, welding jaws, means to eflect relative movement thereof and to cause them to exert pressure on the material to-be welded, an electric power supply and means controlling thealorementioned means and also controlling the supply 01' current mm said power supply to said Jaws, the second mentioned means comprising an electron tube timer which initiates power supply to said jaws upon attainment of a given value or said pres sure and which times the duration of curren supply to said jaws, selective control means to saidtimer to vary said duration oi current sup ply and'a second timing means of an electric en ergy storing type associated with the first men tioned means and with said tube timer to main tain the material being welded under pressure 0 said laws for a predetermined period tollowini termination oi supply oi current to said jaws am then to elect separation of said jaws for reieas' oi the welded material, said second mentione timing means being adjustable in respect of thi time element thereof independently'ot the tim element of said tube timer;

CARROLL BTANBBURY. 

